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It’s been two years since this happened…

It’s funny how time flies and how much can change in two years. Almost three years ago, when I was doing a morning show for the radio station STAR 94 in Atlanta, I drove out to a place I had never been to before. A neighborhood very South of Atlanta, about 25 mins from the Atlanta airport. I went there because a client of the radio station at the time had hired me to do a radio appearance at one of their stores in this neighborhood. I loaded up the family (all five of us) and we drove about 45 minutes from our house in Brookhaven to a place called Serenbe. I had only even heard of this place because a friend of mine Tucker, used to do PR for Serenbe many years ago. We drove in Friday afternoon traffic and had no idea where we were really going. All I knew is, at that time, it seemed soooo far away and it was way out in the “country.” Like cows and horses along the way, country. That seemed crazy to this LA, California city girl.

We stayed overnight and ate at a few restaurants in the neighborhood. We drove around and thought…”where are we?” “what is this place?!” It was truly like no where I had ever seen or been to before. Friends have likened it to a small beachy community…think Seaside, but with farms, woods and even a Playhouse. All I knew was that I was instantly in love and I wanted in. I wanted to live there. On the way home, our family casually chatted about moving to this idyllic neighborhood. It went from casual to serious before we even made it back to our old house. There was no hesitation from ANY of us. Luna was a baby then so she had to just kinda go with the flow. A week later we bought a piece of property and were building a house with an apartment for Momma Jane. No kidding. When we told our friends we were moving, sadly, we weren’t met with a ton of support…at first. Why are you moving sooooo far? What is there to do out in the “country??!!” We heard it all. I didn’t care because I knew I wanted to leave my radio job and I knew I just wanted more peace…more joy… more happiness and I felt like this was the place that was going to give that to us. Boy, was I right. That’s why we started our family Christmas card tradition here. We were literally jumping for joy on our first Christmas card.

Two years ago this week we moved into our house in the country and two years later I am just as happy. We love our home, we love the country and we love the neighborhood. Is it perfect? Maybe not, but it’s pretty darn close. Do our friends come and visit? Sure, but only sometimes and that’s just the nature of life. We all get busy but we prioritize what we want. You make an effort for people and things you care about and sitting in Atlanta traffic for 45 minutes is normal and 45 minutes is how long it takes to get to our house WITHOUT traffic…so there ya go. Traffic for 45 minutes or a 45 minute drive to the country? This sort of forces our friends, as well as ourselves, to be more intentional about our time together and I am ok with that because it makes our time together that more special. We’ve even started a new family sleepover tradition with some of our friends!

What I will say is that in two years, it has made me closer to my own family. It has made us go outside more. Take walks together. My daughters love to play outside now and they do, alot. They love to explore in the woods. They love to ride their bikes. See the farm animals. This place has also reminded me how much more money I spent when I lived right next door to a Costco and Target. Ha-ha! Now it’s a plan when I need to go to the next city over to the grocery store or run errands. I also drive into “the city” (aka Atlanta) all of the time for work related things and to meet up with my girlfriends for lunch or dinner. And yes, I do call it “the city” now when I go to Atlanta.

This place has also made me learn alot more about myself. I spent the first year here volunteering with the Serenbe Playhouse. Boy did it remind me how much I love theater. I grew up watching musicals with my mom and getting to be able to share OUTDOOR theater with my own girls is pretty awesome…as our the shows here! I have learned how much I truly love writing. How much I truly love teaching people about wellness with essential oils. How much I love working from home doing both of those things and doing it with an amazing view of the woods. I feel like I slowed down a bit too and I appreciate life so much more. Things as simple as sharing a glass of bubbly on my front porch with a neighbor or a friend who has come to visit makes me so happy. Taking the puppy out at night and seeing the beautiful clear sky filled with insanely bright stars. Walking early in the morning and running into horses, goats, donkeys and pigs along the way and literally talking to the animals. Being able to check out an art gallery, a play, a movie, yoga, dinner or see fireworks…all without ever getting in a car. It really all is so beautiful, it’s like a hand painted picture by God Himself!

Will we live here forever? Who knows but two years later of country living and this born and raised city girl still loves every single minute! The reason to live here IS the life here! Thanks Serenbe!